Need Modern Material for Tough, Flexible Armor

[A. E. Lowan]

Yes, kevlar body armour is fairly inflexible. This is why we usually have plates made of kevlar inserted into a sort of vest which we then wear. (I say we, I'm thinking like the soldier I used to be.) Nothing stops you have a series of hybrid armour plates formed into a sort of scale mail like you've got into the picture. It would be heavy (maybe 15-20kg). But weight is relative, I used to run around carrying 15kg of kevlar body armour, a gun and ammo weighing 10-12kg and another 45kg of kit. If you're fit enough the weight won't be an issue unless you're getting really physical for long periods of time.

That's exactly the thinking I was looking for.

Okay, I think this is going to work and it's going to be hella fun. And we won't even have to lean too much into the Rule of Cool for a change. lol

 

[Prince of Spires]

No, unless you have wizards in your guest room - I don't, dammit - then I think we're firmly planted in Fantasy

I've read what you do to wizards. I definitely wouldn't be staying in your guest room if I was one... Besides, Winter has a big enough house to not need anyone's guest room, and she has no time to travel anywhere anyway.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I've read what you do to wizards. I definitely wouldn't be staying in your guest room if I was one... Besides, Winter has a big enough house to not need anyone's guest room, and she has no time to travel anywhere anyway.

I don't know. I've been told my biscuits and gravy is to die for.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I wrote this sentence. I'm still boggled.

One shoulder of Alerich’s matte black blade and bulletproof carbon nanofiber body suit slipped down his arm, and he grimaced, shoulder bare.

I'm dying.

 

[Finchbearer]

I think it’s fine. Just slips off the tongue.

 

[Nighty_Knight]

What are the goals of the armor? Different material will give different results. Like impact absorption.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

What are the goals of the armor? Different material will give different results. Like impact absorption.

Looks like I forgot to say, but we're going with a full bodysuit of made of a new material that shows potential to stop bullets and blades - both slashing and stabbing - and even though researchers have only made small pieces so far in reality, we write 5 minutes in the future so there is more material available. Over the bodysuit will be the stiffer armor made up of the hybrid Kevlar that @MadSwede discussed. This stuff is heavy and the flexible Kevlar is stiffened with carbon nanotubes which makes it strong and also able to stop bullets and blades, only with better impact absorption.

So, basically the full set is supposed to keep its wearer alive during gladiatorial games that get progressively more dangerous as combatants climb the brackets.

 

[Graham J. Darling]

Besides polyaramid (commercial name Kevlar), the "other" bulletproof fibre these days is UHMWPE (Ulta-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene; commercial name Dyneema). It's lighter than Kevlar and doesn't degrade as fast in sunlight, but doesn't resist flame or even boiling water very well.

The highest-rated armours have chest pockets for rigid ceramic plates.

Medieval and Early Modern rigid armours were shaped and textured to deflect oncoming missiles as much as to stop them dead.

Are these people using ranged weapons or abilities? Because there's a reason (at least one) why people shooting at each other has never been a stadium sport.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Besides polyaramid (commercial name Kevlar), the "other" bulletproof fibre these days is UHMWPE (Ulta-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene; commercial name Dyneema). It's lighter than Kevlar and doesn't degrade as fast in sunlight, but doesn't resist flame or even boiling water very well.

The highest-rated armours have chest pockets for rigid ceramic plates.

Medieval and Early Modern rigid armours were shaped and textured to deflect oncoming missiles as much as to stop them dead.

Are these people using ranged weapons or abilities? Because there's a reason (at least one) why people shooting at each other has never been a stadium sport.

The ones I'm putting in this getup are a trio of young, thrill-seeking wizards who are participating in gladiatorial games that are put on every four years. It's like the Olympics meets Vampire Prom. Three days of fights, three nights of balls and afterparties. Third Day sees the fatal matches and a significant amount of political power changes hands.

 

[Dankolisic]

Titanium? It's light.
Graphene? light and durable?

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Titanium? It's light.
Graphene? light and durable?

Titanium is light but brittle and not nearly as bulletproof as hearsay will have us believe. Graphene is composed of carbon nanotubes, which are already incorporated into the both the armor and the body suit, so good think.

 

[Michael-Kaye]

Look up Dyneema on the web... there stuff is pretty impressive in regards to both protection as well as flexibility. 15x stronger than steel, better than Kevlar... a relative who is a LOE and on the tactical response team showed me his several years ago and it is not cheap - around $1200 for a vest

​

 

[Rexenm]

Is he dead, or alive? You could always use soul, like Hollow Knight.

One shoulder of Alerich’s matte black blade and bulletproof carbon nanofiber body suit slipped down his arm, and he grimaced, shoulder bare.

Medieval and Early Modern rigid armours were shaped and textured to deflect oncoming missiles as much as to stop them dead.

 

[Rexenm]

Is he dead, or alive? You could always use soul, like Hollow Knight.

One shoulder of Alerich’s matte black blade and bulletproof carbon nanofiber body suit slipped down his arm, and he grimaced, shoulder bare.

Medieval and Early Modern rigid armours were shaped and textured to deflect oncoming missiles as much as to stop them dead.

I think it’s fine. Just slips off the tongue.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Is he dead, or alive? You could always use soul, like Hollow Knight.

That would be very cool, but no, he and the other two guys competing with him are very much alive and strong wizards to boot. But~ I like how you're thinking and I may be able to use that for something else later. We won't have undead in the Books of Binding, though. Zombies scare me. Hilarious, I know, given everything else I'm willing to put on the page, but zombies scare me and I don't want to write them.

 

[janedoe0018]

I think I saw this mentioned already but Graphene would fit as the material you’re looking for here. I believe the only reason we don’t currently use it as a material for things like armor is because it is extremely difficult and expensive to source. But as a material in terms of strength, weight and durability it rivals Kevlar.

 

[Redfrogcrab]

I'm running into a research block because I don't know the right words for this. I'm looking for a real-world material that's like heavy boiled leather, but tougher. Money is no object. I'm not feeling steel for this, though of course it's not entirely off the table. This is the inspiration pic. I want to put three young wizards in this and put them in a gladiatorial tournament.

View attachment 3586

Kevlar and metal plates are what you need
If you wanna get fancy: Ceramic plates+Metal plates+Kevlar